Check out this bumper sticker I saw the other day:
FORGIVENESS IS GIVING UP HOPE FOR A BETTER PAST.
Think about that; I sure did. We can not change what has happened in the past, so why dwell? It only hurts ourselves. I think sometimes I have held onto my anger or hurt because I think, "that will show them"...it only makes me miserable. When I am focused on my hurts, how I was wronged, what they did... my focus is off. My focus should be on the Lord and the fact that He has forgiven me, so who am I to keep that forgiveness to myself? Like the movie "Pay It Forward" (awesome message in that movie) I must pass along the forgiveness I have been given. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
I don't agree with he slogan "forgive and forget". I don't think we should ever forget the hard times in our lives, wanna know why? If someone has wronged you in a major way (some of you know what I'm talking about), then forgetting is impossible. So, we take those experiences and we grow. I have had to do some serious forgiving in my past; I have never forgotten what happened. When I think about my experience, I take it as an opportunity to pray for the one who has wronged me (this has taken me years to learn!) Okay, check out this verse I found on the subject,
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45
That is crazy right? Hello, seriously? God wants me to "love my enemies"? Yeah, He does. Love the last part of that verse, basically saying that it rains on everybody so not one of us is better than another. Therefore, I shouldn't act better than anyone else by not forgiving them. Do I think I am Queen Carrie (well, sometimes but thats not the point)?
I feel like I'm kind of rambling here! I am in the process of learning to forgive so, I guess that's why this post feels so random! LOL! If you've made it to the end of this long ole post, then thank you for listening. *kiss*kiss*
I better get some sleep. My parents are in town and we are filling each and every day with FUN things!!!!
3 comments:
Wow...God is really hitting this home for me too right now. This was the topic of our Beth Moore bibles study this week. I Samuel when David has the opportunity to get "revenge" on Saul by killing him and his conscience (holy spirit) woulndn't allow him to. I'm learning that when we are intimate with God it causes us to be more sesitive to the prompting of the holy spirit and more aware of when we are harboring these unforgiving emotions. It's a hard thing to realize the places where I have had an unforgiving heart, but God gives me the strength to recognize it and change it. Thank you for your awesome words today!!!
Love ya!
I really needed this post!!!
For some reason lately some wrongs from the past have been bothering me and I have been dwelling on them way to much. Things that happened so long ago that had nothing to do with my life now. So funny how we do this to ourselves. Thanks for the scripture and your thoughts on what it means!!
Awesome Carrie!! Thank you so much for sharing!! You have an incredible heart and I love you!!
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